Zechariah 4:1-5: a reflection

1The angel who talked with me came again and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. 2He said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I have seen, and behold, a lamp stand all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps which are on the top of it; 3and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it.” 4I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?” 5Then the angel who talked with me answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.”

The angel who had been speaking with Zechariah wakes him and shows him a vision: a golden lampstand with seven lamps, and two olive trees beside it. And the angel asks, Do you not know what these are? Zechariah does not pretend to understand; he answers honestly, No, my lord. He admits his ignorance plainly, and asks the angel to explain: What are these, my lord?

Notice Zechariah's honesty. Shown a vision he did not understand, he did not pretend to grasp its meaning, nor was he ashamed to admit that he did not know; he simply said, No, my lord, and asked. And the angel, far from despising his ignorance, went on to explain. Zechariah's honest admission that he did not understand, and his willingness to ask, opened the way to understanding.

That is a small but real wisdom. We can be reluctant to admit that we do not understand, whether from pride or embarrassment; we pretend to know, or stay silent, rather than confess our ignorance and ask. But there is no shame in admitting we do not know, and much wisdom in asking. God does not despise the honest I do not know; indeed, admitting our ignorance and asking is often the way to understanding. Do not pretend to understand what you do not, or be too proud to admit your ignorance. Be honest, as Zechariah was, ready to say, I do not know, and to ask. The humble who admit their ignorance and seek understanding learn more than the proud who pretend to know. Bring your honest not-knowing to God, and ask him to teach you; he is ready to explain to those who admit they do not understand and seek to learn.

Lord, when the angel showed Zechariah a vision and asked whether he knew what it was, Zechariah did not pretend to understand, but answered honestly, No, my lord, and asked for it to be explained; and the angel went on to explain. Give me that honesty. I can be reluctant to admit that I do not understand, whether from pride or embarrassment; I pretend to know, or stay silent, rather than confess my ignorance and ask. But there is no shame in admitting I do not know, and much wisdom in asking. You do not despise the honest I do not know; indeed, admitting my ignorance and asking is often the way to understanding. Keep me from pretending to understand what I do not, or being too proud to admit my ignorance. Help me be honest, as Zechariah was, ready to say, I do not know, and to ask. The humble who admit their ignorance and seek understanding learn more than the proud who pretend to know. Help me bring my honest not-knowing to you, and ask you to teach me; thank you that you are ready to explain to those who seek to learn.